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Slow Cooker Pesto Chicken Pasta is easy, tastes amazing, and comes together in just a few minutes of hands-on prep time. Tender chicken is cooked in pesto and butter and nestled in between pasta and loads of cheese. What’s not to love?
Ingredients for Pesto Chicken Pasta
With just a handful of ingredients, you can make an incredibly flavorful pasta dish thanks to our superhero ingredient: basil pesto. Pesto is one of those crowd-pleasing ingredients that adds so much flavor to a dish and everyone loves it. I love adding it to my recipes for a burst of savory flavor and pop of freshness. Besides pesto, here’s what you’ll need to make this delicious pasta.
- chicken breast (I always use boneless skinless)
- basil pesto (use it from a jar, or buy fresh from the deli section of your grocery store
- butter
- salt and pepper
- parmesan cheese (fresh grated is the very best but you can use whatever you have on hand)
- mozzarella cheese (buy it from a block and grate it yourself for best meltiness)
- pasta
How to Make Pesto Chicken Pasta in the Slow Cooker
You know I love my slow cooker with a (slow) burning passion. Lol. I really do. They just make my life so much easier in so many ways.
To make this dish, you’ll first want to season your chicken breasts with salt and pepper and add them to the slow cooker. Next, pour the pesto on top and add slices of butter on top of each chicken breast. Cook that all together on low for 5 hours or high for 3-4 hours.
Once the chicken is almost done, cook your pasta according to the package directions. Drain it and set it to the side.
Go back to your slow cooker and shred that chicken. Want a life-saving hack? Use a hand mixer to shred your chicken super easily!
Stir in parmesan cheese and your cooked pasta, then sprinkle mozzarella cheese over the top. You’re almost done and your patience will be rewarded with delicious pasta. Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook on low for an additional 15 minutes or until the cheese is melty. Stir, serve up in bowls, and enjoy!
My Favorite Slow Cooker Recipes
Creamy Chicken Pasta – Slow Cooker
Slow Cooker Pesto Chicken Pasta
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs chicken breast
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp pepper
- 8 oz jar basil pesto
- ⅓ cup butter, sliced
- ½ cup parmesan cheese
- 1.5 cups mozzarella cheese
- ¾ lb pasta, any pasta
Instructions
- To the bottom of the slow cooker add chicken breasts, season with salt and pepper, pour the jar of pesto over top of the chicken, place slices of butter on the top. Cover with lid.
- Cook on LOW for 5 hours or HIGH for 3-4 hours or until the chicken is cooked.
- Once the chicken is almost finished cooking prepare the pasta. To a pot of boiling water add the pasta and cook according to box directions. Drain and set to the side.
- Now that the chicken is cooked shred it up. Stir in parmesan cheese and cooked pasta. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese over the top. Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook on low for an additional 15 minutes or until the cheese is melty. Stir and enjoy!
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
